Things You Need to Know Before You Visit the Berry Islands

The Berry Islands is a small chain of islands with nearly 100 cays. Though some of the islands and cays are privately owned (two by Cruise Ship Lines), there are others, including Great Harbour Cay, that have hotels and international airports with direct flights from Florida. With no more than 700 residents across this island chain, your out island experience will most definitely be peaceful. Visitors on the Berry Islands enjoy many types of fishing, cave diving, shell collecting, sightseeing, and beaching. Carriearl Boutique Hotel is a quaint resort on Great Harbour Cay with an island bar that is always stocked full of spirits, sociable travelers and locals. 

Diving and Snorkeling

The best part about diving in the Berry Islands is that no matter what level of experience you have with diving, there will be a site suitable for you. Furthermore, lucky visitors have the opportunity to see the residential dolphins and West Indies manatees at Great Harbour Cay. For blue hole enthusiasts, Hoffmann’s Cay is the spot to go. This blue hole with overhanging cliffs that are at least 20 feet high. There are also abundant turtles in the waters that surround the Berry Islands. 

Historical Look into the Past

Great Harbour Cay is the largest in the chain with the highest population. But Great Stirrup Cay is where the history of the Berry Islands started. In 1863, Governor Colebrook and a group of freed slaves were the first inhabitants of the Berry Islands. A visit to Great Stirrup Cay will provide you with a glimpse into the past. Historical tours include lighthouses, churches and abandoned villages to discover.

Secluded Beaches

Great Harbour Cay is home to a seven-mile beach called Sugar Beach. This beach sits in one of the best-protected harbors in The Bahamas. Its features include cliffs, creeks, and caves. If you travel south from Sugar Beach, you will come to Shark Creek, also known as Shell Beach. This stretch of tranquil white-sand attracts many visitors due to the large number of seashells that wash up on the beach shore.